Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Hussein M. Tahan, PhD, RN, is the system vice president for nursing professional development and workforce planning for MedStar Health. He is responsible for developing a strategic vision and action plan for the professional development of nursing associates across the organization, and implementing a workforce planning model that allows leaders to forecast the organization’s need for nursing talent. Tahan works collaboratively with MedStar’s senior vice president and chief nursing officer, and entity chief nursing officers to drive innovation in these areas of responsibility. He serves as an executive liaison to the MedStar Nursing Professional Development Council and offers nursing input for system initiatives including the interdisciplinary model of care.

Hussein has more than 25 years of experience in acute-care nursing, having worked in a variety of settings and healthcare systems. Prior to joining MedStar in December 2014, he was corporate director of Nursing Research and Education at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, where he led a team of professionals engaged in the training and education of more than 6,000 nurses, implemented the use of innovative learning technologies, developed an evidence-based practice (EBP) framework for practical application by the clinical nurse at the bedside, and oversaw the work of collaborative governance councils in the areas of nursing education and EBP/Research. Additionally, Hussein led the implementation of workforce measures and reporting for Nursing across the hospital. He also chaired the executive committee on care management program redesign with special focus on care transformation. While at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Hussein held a number of leadership roles including director of Nursing, Cardiovascular Services, Care Coordination, and executive director of International Health Services.

Hussein holds a Doctor of Philosophy in nursing from Columbia University, a Master of Science in nursing administration from the College of Mount St. Vincent, both in New York, and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. His scholarly activities include a strong publication, presentation and research record in the area of case management, care coordination and transitions of care. He co-authored four textbooks, two of which received the American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award.

Hussein has served on various national panels pertaining to nursing/patient care and quality, including the National Quality Forum Care Coordination Technical Advisory Panel, the GE Healthcare/Monitoring Solutions Consumer Advisory Board, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality peer review panel on Comparative Effectiveness of Case Management for Adults with Medical Illness and Complex Care Needs, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Bundled Payment Demonstration Projects peer review committee. Hussein serves currently on the editorial advisory board of the Professional Case Management journal, as knowledge editor of the Case Management Body of Knowledge Peer-Reviewed Web Portal sponsored by the Commission for Case Manager Certification, and is a peer reviewer for the Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Journal of Nursing Administration, and Nursing Outlook. In 2013, Nursing Outlook recognized Tahan with a “Certificate of Excellence in Reviewing.”

Hussein is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Nurses Association, Case Management Society of America, the National Transitions of Care Coalition, The Association for Nursing Professional Development, and elected fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine.